As the Keyblade Turns
by Sukui
Summary: Finally! After conquering Hollow Bastion our heros have managed to save Kairi from the depths darkness only to lose Sora! Will the Keyblade Master be able to escape? Will he want to? And how will his friends recognize him now much less rescue him?
1. Prologue

**_A/N_**

_This is a just a test chapter to gauge the audiences reaction. _

_I wasn't sure if I should put it up or not due to the fact that I can't promise steady updates. I gotta work and go to school and don't have as much time as I'd like to write but hopefully you'll like it and I can get the next chapter up soon._

_

* * *

_

**Prelude**

"Sora, Hold on!"

Goofy called rushing forward, arm outstretched as if to hold his buddy by sheer force of will.

"No, wait,"

Donald squawked desperately, almost stumbling over his feet. But they both knew that it was too late, they would never reach him in time.

Sora turned to his companions, his friends, with that cheesy grin of his that seemed to light up his entire countenence, that was all the answer he gave. Turning away he raised the dark keyblade high into the air then brought it down, stabbing himself through the heart. His hands fell to his sides as his body slowly rose into the air. As he floated slightly off the ground the keyblade began to withdraw, almost as if being unsheathed by some invisible force. In an impressive explosion of color and rainbow colored light the keyblade dissolved releasing the hearts of the captive princesses and returning them to their true holders.

At first seemingly asleep at his feet, Kairis' eyes slowly began to open as a seventh heart bloomed from display and floated from Sora to her. A blinding flash lit the hall as Sora was engulfed in a soft golden light, his face a reflection of dreamy satisfaction. Goofy froze, unable to do anything except watch as his pal faded before his eyes. Donald, however, refused to accept what he saw happening and kept running desperately forward.

"Sora! Sora! Sora!" He screeched as the keyblade master fell backward.

Almost instantly aware Kairi sat up, though still groggy from her ordeal, then launched to her feet.

"Sora!" She called, leaning forward only to have his glowing form dissipate as her arms closed around him.

"Huh?"

She looked up to see the glittering lights that were Sora fly away and disappear.

"Come back, Sora!" Donald shrieked helplessly. Goofy was silent.

He could feel himself falling but could see nothing.

"What's ... what's happening to me? Falling ... falling ... into darkness." He whispered.

It engulfed him.

Kairi's arms were still outstretched as if to call the scattering light back to her. Donald and Goofy stood speechless where their friend had disappeared, gazing in disbelief at the ceiling.

They had been too late.

"Sora, are you really ..."

She took a deep breath trying to calm down and fight the lump lodged in her throat. "No." Putting her hands over her heart she cried out. "He can't be!"

Tears slid down her cheeks as she turned her head this way and that, searching for her childhood friend. Almost believing he would jump out at any moment and say "Gotcha!" before sheepishly apologizing, hand behind head, and telling her not to cry as she yelled and called him an idiot.

He didn't.

Donald and Goofy were at a loss as to how to comfort her, their concern etched in their faces. So caught up were they in their grief that the dark glow seeping toward them remained unnoticed till a cold voice broke them from their shock.

"So, you have awakened at last," The trios attention snapped toward the owner of the voice who stood, smirking down on their little drama. "princess."

Standing a little taller than Goofy the man seemed to exude a dark power that clung and pulsed around his leanly muscled form. Long, pearlescent silver hair flowed down past his waist, in a silky waterfall that was a startling contrast to his dark copper skin. Molten gold, glowing eyes seemed to pierce through their thoughts and bare their every secret, while a strikingly familiar smirk graced plump lips in a face a shade too fierce to be truly feminine.

"The keyhole is now complete. You have served your purpose." His arm moved in a motion that was obviously for dramatic emphasis. "But now it's over."

This mysterious new arrival, an enemy, approached them menacingly. His white trench coat billowing behind him, however, the shock of his theatrical entrance was quickly overcome and the magician and knight instinctively stepped forward to protect Kairi.

"Don't make another move!" Donald waved his wand in a warning gesture.

Goofy brought his shield up and in a easily overheard stage whisper asked Donald.

"Do you think we can stop him all by ourselves?"

The newcomer's smirk widened to showcase perfect white teeth.

"I don't know." The duck answered anxiously. His gaze darting back and forth between his lifelong friend and, apparently, certain death.

Goofy was saved from answering when said figure of doom stopped dead, just halfway toward them, trembling. A hissed "Impossible!" was torn from the mans' throat as he wrestled with the ghostly form of ...

"You won't use me for this!"

Donald and Goofy could only gape in astonishment.

Kairi stepped forward, arm raised as if to reach for him with shock and surprise evident in her voice.

"Riku!"

His ghostly figure turned his head in their direction. He began yelling frantically, struggling against this menacing figure at his back.

"You've gotta run! The heartless are coming!." The man's face twisted into a grimace as he wrestled against Riku. The darkness surrounding them grew and lengthened, forming into countless shadows.

Kairi nodded in acceptance unable to speak as the three turned and ran like hell for the door, not stopping to even clear a full path through the advancing heartless or look back.

Were he not otherwise occupied the white-clad man may have laughed at the girlish scream of fright let loose by the duck, but he was at present taking care of the boy's aggravatingly persistent spirit.

It was over in a matter of moments.

"What about the key hole?" Goofy bellowed to his companions.

"Let's just get out of here!" Donald screeched back.

Kairi didn't have the breath to speak.

None of them saw Riku's wicked grin as he began to glow and fade into the undulating waves of power swirling around him and his older counterpart, or hear Ansems' delighted laughter as he too vanished into the hungry darkness.

At first Sora thought he was dead, but seeing as he's never been dead before he couldn't be certain. If he was, well it was pretty anticlimactic if you asked him. There was nothing he could hear, smell, feel, taste or barely see, just the vast evening, a night without stars, he couldn't help but wonder if there even was an afterlife. He should be in some sort of paradise right about now shouldn't he? This was nothing at all how he pictured it. Unless of course the heartless destroyed that too, but he stopped them didn't he? Before Sora could finish his stream of muddled thought a painful flood of light penetrated his partial field of vision, and he screamed in silent agony.

When he came too the first thing he noticed was that he was cold and hungry, so hungry that the craving for sustenance seemed to consume him from the inside out. He doubled over and struggled to just breath, reacting the same way he would in a fight he let the pain pass through his body until he could control and use it.

In the moment of clarity pain usually brings he realized two things, one was that he was surrounded by the darkness but he was in no danger from it, and second was that he was alive. Wonderfully, amazingly, and painfully alive! This came just before another, nearly unbearable, wave of feeling and hunger swept over him. When finally it began to recede he took inventory of his body.

He felt somewhat weightless but also somehow restrained, as if gravity had a specific hold on his movements which were somewhat jerky at best. Sora couldn't place the sensations he felt either. He didn't feel entirely solid, but adrenalin and power raged inside him, brimming with cold and hunger and something else, something new and dangerous.

The floor felt like water beneath his feet, liquid and flexible, yet strangely enough also stable. It was difficult to balance but he managed to stand yet, he didn't dare open his eyes for fear of being blinded the light already peircing his eyelids. Still, information provided by his other senses was coming at him in a rush, yet none of it made any sense and was out of sync with what he knew the world to be. The castle was solid mass beneath his feet but it felt as if he could accidently slide through the floor at any minute. As for the amount of light in the room it was ridiculous to think that a few lamps giving off false light would feel like the sun at it's zenith on Destiny Island glaring down into his eyes. Sora almost wished he was dead again, at least it didn't hurt as much as this sudden rush of sensory overload and he was afraid something was very, very, VERY wrong. He was missing something. Something important, one tiny fact that had escaped him but he couldn't focus enough to say what it may be.

Kairi! That was it, wasn't it? He had to find Kairi, and Donald, and Goofy. But...where? Cautiously he opened first one eye and then the other.

Whoa!

It was intense. Sora decided he must be suffering from some serious side effects of having his heart stolen/handed on a silver platter however you want to phrase it. Everything appeared to him in varying shades of black and purple and traces of red. The hall was nearly indistinguishable it was so completely saturated in the ... light? It reminded him of Infrared or blacklight except it wasn't, he hoped it wasn't some head injury or that he was going blind.

How did he get back anyway?

He thought about it for about half a minute.

If he had been holding Kairi's he must have had two hearts ... or something, that would explain why he'd come back. He'd ask the others about it later but first he had to find them. But how? His antennae twitched in the direction of the door.

They must have left already thinking I'd dissappeared! I've got to-

Wait ... antennae?

Slowly, fearfully Sora looked down at what he hoped were normal _human_ hands, and to his shock dark, purplish, three fingered claws were what his fractured vision beheld. One, two volatile breaths later and the piercing scream that reverberated down throughout the castle gave even, his now fellow heartless, pause.

**

* * *

**

_It's not so much a chapter as my own twisted version of how this part of the game happened. As for spoilers for the second game ... _

_I've seen the opening and ending already, including the super secret one and a nice chunk of gameplay> _

_You all will probably have defeated it long before I get to anything important. Either way I'll put up warnings and I always appreciate critique._

_One last thing is that I am a fan of all types of writing and pairings ... **HET / YURI / YAOI**. _

_I like it all and this fic will probably have all that and more..._


	2. Beginning

_**A/N**_

_I didn't expect it to come out this fast. _

_I don't own it and if I did you can best believe that I'd ... _

_**inner fangirl dies**_

_**

* * *

**_

_**Chapter 1**_

"Wha-What was THAT!" Goofy breathlessly stammered ramming past any approaching heartless.

"Shaddup and keep running!" Donald screeched, dragging Kairi and hurtling spells behind them at random.

In her present state of shock it was little things like how a giant talking duck was dragging her at high speeds through a large, dark, gothic castle similar to those in the Grimm fairytales she'd read as a kid that raced through her mind rather than the supposed deaths of her two childhood friends. Except, somehow, she felt that wasn't the case. It couldn't be.

'Yea, that's gonna bruise in an hour or so.' Kairi mused absentmindedly, staring blankly at her wrist. 'That is,' she added hazily. 'If we manage to survive the next hour.'

Shadows rose and crawled toward them from seemingly everywhere. Stretching from the corners to grab at their ankles and swiping at them from the walls. Goofy had just managed to force his way into the Entrance Hall when he was forced to the ground in a crush of heartless falling from the ceiling, twitching excitedly. jumping back in alarm, the world came rushing back with startling clarity to Kairi and with a sharp shout of denial she leapt into the fray only to be overwhelmed herself by the hungry mass.

"_THUNDAGA_!" Donald shrieked out, and was almost blinded by the resulting blaze of radiance.

A moment later and the only sign of the shadows was the vapor rising from the floor. It was a close call, had he hesitated Goofy and the princess would have been heartless in the literal sense and made into shadow chow. Except they weren't, and looking at them now with their clothes smoking and Kairis' hair sticking out in odd places he couldn't help but snort and giggle and when she held out her hand to help Goofy up her hair sparked.

She was violently shocked by the static electricity that coursed between their joined hands and promptly fell back down on her ass while the dog–knight yelped in pain and grabbed his stinging nose. This sent Donald into another fit giggles that was quickly escalating into hysterical laughter.

Kairi stood and with an indignant "Hmph" dusted off her bumand started scanning the room anxiously. Goofy, used to his friends' less than sensitive humor, was a bit more understanding and becoming more apprehensive by the minute.

"Uh, Donald? Are you ok buddy?"

The duckdidn't answer, instead he fell to the ground rolling, laughing so hard tears leaked from his tightly closed eyes before suddenly stopping. Concerned, Goofy let go of his nose to approach the suddenly still form of his best friend, kneeling down next to him and putting a hand on his shoulder.

Kairi looked back, wondering if something had happened, if maybe the duck had suffered some sort of injury while saving them. What she saw was that he was lying flat, shaking with relief and pent up fear while honest tears trailed down his feathers to soak into his collarand Goofysat there, unsure of what to do next.

"D-Donald, isn't it? What's wrong?" She approached quietly her tone soft and soothing.

He stopped shivering at the sound of her voice and held perfectly still.

"Nothing." He wheezed out stubbornly.

"Really!" Goofy boomed. "Well gawrsh D! It certainly sounded like something what with you crying your eyes out and all! Why, I haven't seen your eyes this red since Daisy threw you out of the castle last year for-"

WHAM! Donald was up and screaming before Kairi could blink.

"You IDIOT! We don't talk about that! Honestly! How you made it into the king's guard is a miracle!" Stamping his feet angrily he glared over at her. "What are you staring at?" He groused.

Recognizing his temperament she was about to reply with an innocent sounding "Nothing." But was cut off when Goofy stood and confusedly questioned Donald's reasoning.

"What does your dancing around drunk in the queens dress at the annual ball and pinching his highnesses' butt have to do with my beinga member of theroyal guard?"

"IT DIDN'T HAPPEN!" The duck screeched and knocked the dog to the ground to clobber him with 'Save the Queen' but was interrupted by Kairi's shout of…

"LOOK OUT!"

---------------

Voice cracking in pain, Sora's scream died out to a pitiful cry of despair. How? How had this happened? What could have possibly…..? Turning in sudden inspiration his pupil-less eyes locked on the chambers that still held the sleeping princesses. That keyblade was a tool made to steal hearts but he'd had two didn't he? His and Kairis'? You couldn't become a heartless if you had one.

_**Where is my heart?**_ He wondered.

**IT BELONGS TO ME.** The world around him whispered.

The shadows and black light whirled hypnotically behind his lids and unexpectedly he stumbled and a swift surge of weakness filled him and sent him to the floor. Trying to focus his vision with his strange new eyes he could see a tunnel forming below him made of murky vapor and it frightened him. Scrabbling, he clawed at the edges of the floor that he could reach but couldn't force his tired little arms to pull himself up and in the end the strange vortex sucked him in. Unable to find the breath or ability to scream he flailed wildly for all of minute before landing flat on his face on the floor. Rising slowly he realized he was surrounded by the little shadows on all sides and froze in a battle stance before comprehension set in.

They weren't after him

Another surge of weakness rose and crested over him. Grabbing his chest Sora could feel the emptiness beneath his breast, an aching void that radiated throughout his body in waves of aching hunger.

**_No!_** He whimpered. Claws flexing helplessly he forced himself to calm down. He had to find his friends! He had to warn them that the heartless were coming. They-

The aching grew and he fell.

Farther,

Deeper.

**WAKE UP.**

His eyes opened as another tunnel closed in the wall behind him, turning he saw a pillar in front. He recognized this place! This was where he first fought Riku! The Entrance Hall!

Riku. Where was he? The pain in Sora's chest increased for an entirely different reason now and he shook his head to get a hold of himself.

**_I can still save him. I will._** He vowed to himself, and then he saw them.

Donald and Goofy fighting in a circle back to back with Kairi in shielded between the two of them using potions and ethers in rapid succession.

They were glowing! Finally he saw something different, something so bright and colorful it almost hurt to stare at it. Sora breathed a sigh of relief to know that they were ok and doing a great job fighting. He grinned to himself inside then frowned knowing if this kept up they would tire soon. More heartless flooded from the walls in tunnels similar to the one he traveled through and Sora knew that they wouldn't be stopping anytime soon. He had to help his friends!

-----------------

"They never end!" Donald wheezed, reduced to smacking them away with his rod as he had no real time to cast anything.

"Cheer up Donald! Hyuk! Why I bet Sora is on his way right now!" Goofy cheerfully announced mercilessly smashing the shadows like insects.

"Yeah right! And the king is trapped forever in the kingdom of Hearts." He snapped irritably smacking a heartless and jumping up and down on its head for good measure.

Kairi made sure the bottle broke on his head with the next potion she gave him.

"We have to have hope that we'll meet again soon." She intoned sweetly.

Donald muttered something unintelligible but obviously not flattering about the female gender.

"Now D, that wasn't very nice." Goofy wagged a finger at him in reprove before hurling his entire body into a swinging weapon of mass monster killing destruction. Stopping only just before he crashed into his friends, eyes swirling dizzily.

Kairi blinked at him concernedly before a figure moving slowly towards them from the corner caught her eye. It was a shadow heartless but it seemed different from the others. Its movements weren't jerky but much slower and smoother and its eyes were larger and more slitted, like a cat. It was approaching them cautiously and moving less predatorily and more pleadingly, as if it wanted to say something. It was creepy but it didn't scare her.

---------------

He was so close! His traveling companions hadn't noticed him, yet, if they did he'd be a goner. Kairi noticed him though and oh it was so good to see her and how she glowed! If this was how she appeared to the dark well, he could see the allure he grudgingly admitted, all soft and shining. So close, just a bit…..

"KAIRI!" Goofy called after her.

"What are you doing? Get away from it!" Donald squawked.

Ignoring them she made her way towards it curiously. It wasn't acting dangerous at all! As a matter of fact the way it ducked its head shyly was kinda cute, endearing almost save for the fact it was a world destroying, heart devouring creature of evil. It reached one claw out to her entreatingly, its large yellow eyes giving the impression of emotion and an awed almost dreamy expression. She reached gingerly for the offered limb but kept a good distance between the little body, gathering her courage.

Wow. When did her eyes get so blue? Staring deeply into them Sora got the sensation of falling again except it was voluntary and suddenly he understood why he could see the three of them in color. He could see their hearts! Perceive all the beckoning shades of life in their color. With the awareness of this fact and with the answering feelings of tenderness that accompanied it came another feeling. One at first seemingly easily suppressed thanks to his time fighting and his experience. It was pain, pain born from hunger, from denial of feelings forcibly suppressed.

It struck him hard and fast and for a moment the brilliance before him wasn't his childhood friend and possible sweetheart, it was a beacon to his darkened soul that screamed in need for that glittering warmth. To just touch it and be burned by its light, to hold and swallow it, keep it deep inside and smother it in that aching void, ravage that warmth and let the colors infuse him and strengthen him. He held perfectly still and struggled against it, began trembling fiercely while struggling against his voracious appetite and with mounting horror saw that she was still reaching for him.

She never heard his wail of fear.

He struck viciously. Leaping at her with over bright eyes he clawed his way up her body like a giant spider, antennae waving wildly and moved to dig that, at first, entreating hand into her chest. Instinct made his movement fluid and his aim unerring. He was going to kill her and enjoy the devourment of what remained.

Kairis' only warning was the way his eyes narrowed and sharpened and as the little shadow stiffened a sense of danger washed over her, her eyes widened but before she could take more than a single step backward, it was on her.

Falling over each and tripping over other heartless the two knights made a mad dash but, as in the Grand Hall, it seemed they would once again be too late.

"KAIRI!"

"PRINCESS!"

**COME**

It was that voice again. It was the sound of the world that distracted Sora from his raging need, the desire to feed from this exquisite wellspring of heat and light long enough for shock and shame to overwhelm him.

Oh God! He almost ate Kairi!

_**Kairi! I'm so sorry!**_

Abruptly he was sent flying into the pillar the vortex he'd come from was behind. He barely had the strength to lift his head he was so weak and the hunger raged again within him, not allowing him to think straight or focus clearly. It didn't affect his sense of hearing however.

"Sora!" A laugh,

"Thank goodness." A squawk,

and softly. "I knew you'd come."

Lifting his head Sora looked up disbelievingly to see … himself. Holding a now unconscious Kairi in his arms and wearing a look of barely hidden arrogance. Frozen, he could only watch as this person, this thing that had his form and wore his face accepted the gratitude of his friends for rescuing them from the remaining heartless.

Forcing himself to stand, Sora had just made it to his feet just as Donald and Goofy threw open the doors and raced to battle for freedom and unable to walk without falling over he could do nothing but watch as they left.

Yelling desperately, refusing to admit they couldn't hear him, he was about to start forward in one last attempt to reach them but was halted by the stare of the false Sora. True gold eyes gleamed with amusement and he winked mischievously at the now incensed shadow beforefading back to an innocent blue that practically sparkled with good cheer.

It made him sick.

Sooner than he could make a move against the fake, Sora was struck complacent by that voice again. The one that sent shivers racing down his spine and made him want to bow down and whine in submission.

**_COME TO ME._**

The familiar voice of the world.

* * *

_**A/N**_

_Um yep that's the first chapter folks and it took me six hour to write it! _

_I had "Sanctuary"__on repeat for a good half hour to help with inspiration. To be honest the biggest inspiration was the two reviews I recieved for the prologue that got me going in the first place. Only two and I sat there and typed for six hours straight. grin> _

_This isn't a shameless jab for R&R either poke poke> just check out the dates, but I did suprise myself with how fast I got it done I thought it's take longer, either way I hope you enjoy it._

_I wonder if it was well balanced I don't think I put in too much angst though and I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as I can sort out what I want to happen in it exactly._


	3. Incoming

_**A/N**_

_Finally got it out of me. It felt like forever. It was really difficult to get the words out even though I have a general idea of what is going to happen._

_Also this is the longest chapter I've written so far and they might get longer from here on out._

_So without further ado and including the obvious disclaimer ... _

_**I don't own it. **_

_**

* * *

**_

_**Chapter 2**_

It had become a nightly ritual for Leon to patrol the streets of Traverse Town alone at night. Yuffie teased that he needed to let out all that pent up frustration he had from working with two such total hotties. After all, who could control themselves when faced with the temptation of Cid's rather hefty backside bent over every possible metal contraption in the area and Merlin's squinty come-hither eyes? To which he responded with a pointed glare designed to wither even the stoutest of hearts.

"Yuffie…."

Saucily winking she'd then ask in a conspirators whisper if he was still coping with the loss of Hercules to a certain keyblade master.

This would be the point he turned his back to the obvious stabs at his questionable heterosexuality and retreat, never run no, wisely back down from a futile attempt to defend his honor from this slip of a woman as girls didn't have hips that round, and do what he did best.

"Exercise" Aerith called it, while scrubbing whatever dirt and blood they'd tracked from the last battle into the little house, clucking motherly and demanding that if his overwhelming need to get laid interfered with his job she'd demote him to dishwasher after dinner.

Far from being annoyed he actually appreciated the banter and constant noise of their little alliance, it was routine and spoke of safety that was not easily obtained now due to the heartless' never ending attacks. Everyday new people arrived scared and ignorant of the circumstances that brought them to this strange place. With every influx Traverse Town was becoming more of a bustling community than the ghost town it was previously, prompting the need for constant patrols and a well equipped and able guard.

Sadly, though the keyhole was now safely locked, it was still a necessary evil until the people could return to their own worlds, or at least defend themselves; while the "Restoration Committee", as the magician dubbed them, traveled a bit themselves for reconnaissance missions and supplies for the towns' use and their own purposes.

The patrol was Leon's idea. The others came up with the militia to make sure he didn't wear himself out, and pointing out that if he were made into a heartless they'd all die helped persuade Leon it was a good idea. But he still got the night patrol, the most dangerous, to himself. Occasionally with a partner even, so it all worked out.

He was currently trying to locate their erstwhile magician who was supposed to be helping out Cid with his latest creation and, as expected of most geniuses, they tended to drift away from the reality around them in regards to their work. Leon had searched all three districts already and found them clean but no sign of Merlin or the engineer, so now he was off to the old man's house.

Easily making it over the makeshift moat he knocked respectfully at the door before heading around the house to the hidden entrance at the side and calling out to Archimedes for permission to enter. A sleepy "whoo" was his answer so Leon took it as acceptance and entered the massacre that was the magicians' home. The furniture was the only thing in its proper place, everything else was scattered in impressive disarray all along the room with displays teetering precariously on piles of well worn books and surrounded and almost totally obscured by other less recognizable bizarre objects.

Shaking his head with a wry smile on his face he looked upwards for signs of Merlin's partner, his owl Archimedes. Keeping his tone soft he let out a low whistle to get the normally bad tempered bird's attention seeing as the fairy godmother seemed to be nowhere in sight.

An indignant "Whoo" answered him back.

A fluffed feathered head popped out of the pile of clothes to Leons' left, startling him enough for him jump back slightly and seeing the owls' furious glare at being awakened he was glad he was no longer in pecking distance.

"What? What do you want confound it?" He nearly shrieked.

Wincing slightly Leon answered in his normal monotone.

"Have you seen Merlin or Cid?"

"Is that all! Confound it but they've kept me up all day with their racket so I banished them to the cavern under the house. The missus just took them down dinner now if you'll excuse me." Archimedes huffed, tossing the comfy pile of fabric off his back he flew to his little house hanging form the ceiling crossly. "I would like to sleep at some point tonight!" The owl slammed the door with an audibly furious THUNK!

"Whatever."

Bemusedly Leon headed down the spiral staircase hidden beneath the platform and made his way to the underground cavern, almost running into a slightly flustered Fairy godmother.

"Oh! Dear I didn't see you there!" She gushed, cheeks a bright red.

"You'll be looking for that husband of mine no doubt. He's down there and mighty pleased with the progress they've made." She tittered girlishly making Leon raise an eyebrow at her antics.

"So Archimedes said." He didn't think about it too closely though. "He seemed tired and was angry I woke him."

"Oh really?" An indulgent look came to her eyes. "Well now don't mind him. Those two haven't let the poor bird sleep and I just gave him some of my famous blueberry pie."

It figured.

"But don't let him bother you none you just go on about your business and make sure they eat something." A speculative look came into her eyes. "Feel free to help yourself too dear you are a bit on the thin side and a boy needs a little meat on him to catch the right man." She winked; much like Yuffie would in similar circumstances, and rapped him sharply on the ass with her wand, sending glittering sparkles of light every which way.

Leon just stared at her in scandalized shock.

She was a Fairy Godmother, a granter of wishes to girls with little hope in their lives. A kind and gentle old woman with the sweetest of smiles and great tenderness in her voice, and here she was molesting him with her wand and encouraging him to deviancy!

Recovering his composure and muttering a quick "Scuse me" he made yet another hasty retreat. She was married to a quack and though he was a genius he was still a loon all the same, so certain factors must be taken into account and with a quick shake of his head he made his way to the clatter and curses below.

When two great minds think alike and work together to form something revolutionary the image one would imagine was far from what was presented to the wielder of the gunblade as he descended the steps to the underground cavern.

Merlin was futilely chasing after a floating silver orb, which was in turn chasing after one Cid Highwind and shooting lasers at him in rapid succession. Small explosions rocked the makeshift lab and broken/overturned furniture littered the floor as dangerous obstacles. One chair fell in the magicians desperate attempt to leap midair and grab the "Little metal #$$!" as the engineer so charmingly described it. Alas, it was all in vain. The moment Merlin caught hold, arms wrapped tight around the orb and the chair died; it began spinning in fast circles around the room.

Leon dived to the ground to avoid getting kicked in the head by the older man's wildly flailing feet and, eyes narrowed, tried to figure how to save the idiots. Strategizing proved to be unnecessary however, as Cid barked a "Look sharp pretty-boy!" and hefted a spear from out of nowhere over his shoulder. He let fly and Leon lunged forward to catch Merlin just as the old mans' grip slipped and he fell.

The orb, still shooting, was about to make another mad dash after Highwind but was almost immediately impaled with impeccable aim to the wall. Cursing fluidly he stalked over to the mangled gob of metal and ripped his spear out with a shrill, shrieking pull.

"What do ya want Leon?" He kicked it to the opposite end of the room.

Blinking silently Leon set the flustered magician down to stand on his own power and asked in a deceptively mild tone.

"What's going on here Cid?"

Flushing, whether with anger or embarrassment he couldn't tell, the engineer replied curtly.

"We're working on a new defense system."

"Yes!" Merlin added giddily. "One that utilizes the power of both science and magic!"

"A new defense system?" Leon raised an eyebrow with interest. "What's it supposed to defend? The heartless?"

"Cid's cheeks burned brighter. "There are still a few kinks we need to work out ok damn it!"

Stifling a sigh Leon bent to retrieve Merlins' hat. "I'm on patrol and the godmother sent me with orders to make sure you eat." Handing it to the magician he started on cleanup with Cid, leaving the magical devices to the old man who knew them best.

"Is it safe to be experimenting down here with the enemy as active as they've been?" He asked, shoving broken furniture and splintering wood over to the corner for easy pickup later.

"Safe?" Highwind guffawed. "There IS no safe anymore pretty-boy that's why we we're down here doing what we do best."

"Destroying things?" Merlin chuckled, eyes twinkling with mirth.

"Creating works of art you buffoon!" Cid glared.

"Oh! Quite right, quite right. Fear not young Squall, We have many powerful protections on this area, both magical and mundane, so the chance of attack is very slim-"

The magicians soothing speech was cut short as the far left cave wall exploded inward.

"How slim?" Leon questioned, growling lowly.

----------------------

"What's up with Sora he's been acting weird." Donald asked Goofy in a sort of whisper scream.

Strangely enough silence had reigned as the trio carried the unconscious Kairi back to the gummi ship and safety, usually their treks were fraught with the danger of bad jokes and overused puns. Now it wasn't and that, more than the slight wounds from battle or the eerie look Sora had in his eyes, worried his two companions the most.

They won right? They rescued Kairi and found out what was up with Riku so what was the matter with Sora?

"Uh Sora?" Goofy began hesitantly. "What's wrong?"

Silence, then….

"I'm not sure. I feel fine but……"

A slightly guarded look towards them. "But-"

His lower lip quivered. That was all it took for the overprotective duck.

"Darn it Goofy! Why can't you keep your mouth shut! After all he's been through and everything he's learned of COURSE he wouldn't be himself!"

"But-" Goofy raised a finger, ready to point out that Donald was the one who was suspicious of Sora's behavior in the first place.

"No buts! Now come on we gotta get back to the gummi ship. Don't worry Sora we can come back to lock the keyhole later and the other princesses will be fine with beast there guarding them.

"Beast?" Sora questioned softly.

"Err, yea when you were um gone he said he'd stay to protect them." Goofy said gingerly, afraid of the keyblade masters' reaction to the reminder of his time in the darkness without a heart.

"Gone." Sora breathed, a quick flash of fear lit his eyes to be replaced by an amused grin.

"Thanks. You guys are great but what really bothers me…."

The next he rather bluntly and almost sheepishly.

"I can't summon the keyblade."

…….

"**WHAT!**"

At which point the last obstacle between them and safety arose in the form shadow heartless. At least that's what they appeared to be but last our intrepid heroes checked shadows weren't the size of men and weren't half as fast as these were. Luckily there were only three, but then they remembered Sora had just said he couldn't summon his keyblade.

"We're screwed." Donald squeaked.

"Now D, no need to be negative. CHARGE!" Goofy sprinted forward, followed by a decidedly irate duck shouting obscenities about the stupidity of inbred mutts.

Kairi, had she been aware, would have been the only one to see "Sora's" eyes shift rapidly from blue to gold in wicked glee.

* * *

**_A/N_**

_Yea, I know. You hate me._

_You can actually blame my dear betas for the cliffhangers. It's their fault_

**Loireloa**_ and _**MuzaiandYuuzai **

_I know that wasn't what you were expecting when requesting yaoi but rest assured there's more where that came from. I also wanna give special thanks to _**realdarkangel **_and _**Lilalou **_who've reviewed every chapter I've put up so far!_

_I love reviews ... **alot**. They're encouraging and thought provoking on my part._


	4. Arrival

_**Author's Notes**_

_OMG!_

_That took forever to get out of me! At first it was a simple case of writer's block that escalated to a full on illness. Just when I got something done BAM! I got into a car accident and no longer have a functional vehicle. Goodbye fic-like goodness! Good morning rancid reality!_

_Hopefully I'll be a bit more regular after this. Please ignore the bad scene spacing, the site wouldn't let me fix it and for some strange reason it's not letting me use two punctuation marks._

_BTW if I did own kingdom Hearts I wouldn't be in this mess. I'd be on a real life gummi ship creating totally nummy CGI films in the place of fanfiction._

**_

* * *

_**

_**Chapter 3**_

Sanctuary.

That was the feeling that filled Sora as he tumbled helplessly through the darkness, shielded from the brilliance of the world and enfolded by a cool wash of vivid purple and ebony oblivion. Tendrils of icy dusk twined around his strange new form, causing him to whimper from the hunger that each teasing brush evoked.

_**Stop!**_

Everything around him suddenly shivered in reaction to the rumbling laughter that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. He was almost immediately blinded by the sudden emergence of illumination into his line of sight, a sharp contrast to the twisting and warping of space from a few minutes ago.

When the spots cleared from his eyes he realized he was back at the keyhole and that the princesses were nowhere to be seen. Weakly stepping a few feet forward he gazed at the pulsating doorway and wondered where the voice he'd heard had come from.

**I'M HERE SORA.**

He whirled around quickly, tripping on his feet and falling to the ground. Shaking his head heartless Sora timidly looked toward the staircase that led toward the platform where a hooded figure stood there with a vortex acting as a backdrop behind…..him?

_**Who are you?**_

The figure raised a hand to the hood covering his face and pulled it back to reveal shimmering silver hair and an achingly familiar visage. Mouth curving in a depraved smirk his lashes fluttered almost coyly before opening completely to reveal one glimmering green eye and one pupil-less yellow, the same as any heartless.

"Your master."

-----

"Take that you freakishly deformed sonovabitchs! I'm gonna stick this spear so far up your-"

"Really Cid, is all that necessary?"

"Hell yea! These little fuckers fuckin fucked up my fucking machine!"

"OUR machine Mr. Highwind, if you recall I believe I was present during its conception."

"Fine our cre-fuckin-ation you damn loon."

"I BEG your pardon! I'll have you know you lumbering ruffian that-"

"Be quiet until we get to open ground."

Cid glared at the magician before raising his weapon, the Venus Gospel, and launching it at the throng of heartless blocking the alley entrance. Muttering under his breath Merlin calmly closed the entrance to the staircase before casting a whirlwind spell that cleared the rest of the way for them to maneuver into the alley, that, and allow for more _drastic _measures to be taken. Taking advantage of the short respite the three men rushed out to the alley and took position.

Merlin began casting in an unfamiliar language.

A deafening BOOM echoed down the cavern and the surrounding area. Flicking ash from the tip of his cigar Cid took hold of the shaft of his spear and dashed back not pausing as he jumped up and slammed the Venus Gospel into the crack made by Merlin's attack and ripping it out at an angle. The silence after the ensuing cave-in was broken by Leon's softly spoken statement.

"I hope you'll have an appropriate excuse when you tell the Godmother and Aerith about this."

He gestured to the rubble now beginning to block the water flow.

"Oh my."

"Fuck."

"Let's go."

Heading around towards the front of the hotel the trio noted the almost unnatural silence of the town in unvoiced concern. The sound of their scuffle should have drawn at least minimal attention from the others, if not the other guards than the girls. All was quiet and that was far more terrifying than anything else.

-----

_**Master?**_

Sora squeaked uncomprehendingly.

**_Riku? Is that you? Who-When-WHAT'S GOING ON HERE!_**

He demanded, his small, dark form shaking with unexpressed emotion. To him the form standing before him appeared to be Riku except there was no way that was possible! Feeling suddenly dizzy Sora struggled to stay on his feet as his vision shifted to that of a heartless and he took in the figure through eyes weighted down by weakness and hunger.

The portal swirling behind him writhed sinuously; occasionally lapping at Riku's cloaked form. The one bright yellow eye glittered with dark humor; the only real spot of color around him save for a seething blood red mass where his heart should be. Other details were blurred by the image of a man superimposed over him.

An eyebrow rose.

"You haven't figured it out yet have you Sora? Look around you, look at what you've become!" His arms rose in a dramatic gesture, one that indicated the room and everything in it, one that was out of character from the boy the keyblade master had grownup with.

Sora wanted suddenly to smack him but refrained due to the impossibility of the situation and the realization that he didn't trust himself. His instincts were screaming at him and he wasn't sure which urge was stronger, the need to feed or the knee jerk reaction to cower before the same dark brilliance.

_**I-I don't know.**_

"Then I will show you."

The sudden intent in Riku's gaze made Sora want to take a step back but he ended up falling forward onto his knobby heartless knees from vertigo instead. In the time it took Heartless-Sora to gather his wits and look back up the other boy was in front of him.

"Sora." It was gentle, almost beckoning.

"Look at me Sora."

He did and the memories drifting through his mind became as insubstantial as the darkness surrounding them, fading before pulsing of the heart in front of him and the weakness of his human mind.

"Come here."

A soundless whine escaped him as he crouched obediently.

"Come here and feed."

He leapt.

------

They were surrounded.

There was no escape and the tale would end here as our "_heroes_" perish honorably in an attempt to preserve the future of their world, the only thing left behind for those to face the wrath of the ever growing darkness is the love and hope that something will survive and rekindle the light living deep within the heart of the very darkness they fought itself, only to find despair.

Amusing as the thought was it did not fit into Ansems' current plans.

He'd thought the keyblademaster's comrades to be somewhat capable seeing as how they managed to come so far against him. It seemed, however, that the phrase "sheer dumb luck" did not describe them so much as they embodied the words themselves.

"My tail is on fire!" Donald ran in furious circles, attempting to put out the little flame.

"Gawrsh D! I didn't mean to reflect it THAT way." Goofy made as if to help dropping his shield onto his big toe in the effort, the result being a decidedly distinct cry that echoed throughout the waterfall area.

Imbeciles.

The attack pattern of the heartless changed and became more forceful and while the two furiously battling knight and mage couldn't tell it was obvious to Ansem that they were being herded.

That is, to the edge of the platform on the lip of the largest waterfall.

-----

Scrambling desperately up Riku's body Sora gave a growl of victory before plunging those tiny claws into his chest and doing exactly as his master bid, tearing into what lay before him and devouring that lies beneath. The feel of his preys' heart was exquisite.

Heat streamed through him, making him shudder and jerk with each successive surge of thick, salty sweet red. Every sense sharpened to an almost painful point and the hunger merely intensified, followed by an embarrassingly familiar ache he'd recognize as a human, but failed to understandin this new shape.

Had he been thinking clearly Sora would have realized that he was draining his best friend, consuming the power of his heart and slowly killing himat the moment however,he couldn't currently bring himself to care. The more he fed the hungrier he became and soon his world was narrowed down to the ragged gasps from the body pinned beneath him and the light pounding through his veins.

All that the heartless saw he could see but Sora didn't have the power to focus on just one thing.

Hollow Bastion was burning.

He saw himself falling, Kairi in his arms and his friends flailing on either side.

Countless figures in coats similar to Riku's watched him even as he watched them.

In his minds eye worlds he's never seen were opening themselves to him,

And his own eyes stared back at him from a strangers face.A girl sat on a white throne behind him.

Soradidn't know how long they stayed like that, only that a moment later, when the hunger abated and strength returned to him he seemed to be himself for the moment. The feeling of having a human body again was shock enough to make him look and see for certain that yes he was a boy again, even if his vision was that of a monsters and the tendrils of shadow surrounding his dark skin and black clothes were the same as those surrounding his master.

Blinking down into the eyes of said master, which were glowing with unholy triumph, he tensed. In that instance of returned comprehension Sora realized what it was he had just done, but before he could react a light intense to the point of pain blinded him. He could feel himself being torn away from his prey but was unable to struggle and then darkness called to him once more.

This time he went gratefully.

The last thing he heard before embracing unconsciousness was not-Riku's enraged proclamation of-

**YOU!**

And a squeaky but firm sounding voice.

"Something tells me things weren't supposed to turn out this way. Good thing we got here on time."

"Ready to go?"

* * *

_What do you think? I finished this around 3 o' clock in the morning with NO BETA! **(cries)**_

_Originally "As The Keyblade Turns" was supposed to be a large scale Soap Opera parody of Kingdom Hearts featuring every single cliche you could think of. _

_Obviously it didn't turn out that way so this was the result of my wandering pen with plot possibilities roaming my head at random. Hopefully the slow start hasn't put too many of you off and you'll review._

_Okay I re-uploaded thischapter like I have almost every other chapter in this fic> because even though I had no beta there were a few over obvious typos that my inner critic couldn't overlook._

_BTW I'm putting up an off-shot to this fic titled "Feast" and yes ... it's a one-shot Yaoi SxR_


End file.
